Curefym Tv Dramas, Entertainment, Pop Culture

I HAVE always loved the PlayStation Vita, but the vast majority of the handheld’s library is already available on other platforms.

Freedom Wars is one of the last games that was still a Vita exclusive until Bandai Namco announced Freedom Wars Remastered.

Bandai Namco

Freedom Wars is all about using your Thorn to grapple and take down giant mechs[/caption]

Bandai Namco

You have a million year prison sentence and you are being watched at all times[/caption]

Bandai Namco

When you take on a mission and collect resources, years will be removed from your sentence[/caption]

Set in a dystopian future where resources are scarce, you play as a Sinner, someone born with a 1million year prison sentence.

Sinners must grapple up to the top of giant mechs and sever off parts to collect resources to donate to the greater good.

Every dangerous mission you take part in and every item you donate will shave a few hundred years off your sentence.

Freedom Wars was innovative at the time it was released, with the introduction of the Thorn, a grapple that helps you quickly explore the verticality of the maps.

You can also use it to travel quickly across the world, close the distance between you and an enemy, and hang onto a mech until you’re shaken off.

The game is over 10 years old at this point and was created with the PlayStation Vita’s hardware restrictions in mind.

One of the Vita’s biggest restrictions is the size, and Freedom Wars reuses just a few enemy types and battle arenas, but this would need to be tackled in a remake rather than a remaster.

There are a number of quality-of-life improvements in the remaster, including auto-save, quick travel, shinier graphics, and faster movement.

However, like the lack of variety, the biggest issue with Freedom Wars remains the limitations of the original.

Tutorials are text boxes with a large amount of text that the average gamer will likely skip through.

Freedom Wars has a lot of systems like severing, drag downs, weapon crafting, modules and abilities that are not obvious when playing.

Many people think that the difficulty curves sharply and you need to grind in order to finish it, but if you use the game mechanics as intended you should have no problems.

Gamers have been conditioned over the years to play games like cover-based shooters, but in Freedom Wars you’re supposed to get up close and personal.

However, earlier missions would need to be restructured to emphasise this and improve on the difficulty issue.

Freedom Wars suffers from its limitations, and while the remaster improves on the original in many ways, a remake would be needed to fix everything.

It is still one of the most innovative big-budget games made, and getting it all on a 4GB cart is a work of magic.

I’d love to see a new Freedom Wars game with all of the resources game developers now have at their disposal.

Whether that happens or not depends on players and how much love they show for this new version, so go play it for the greater good.

If you want to read more game reviews, check out our Super Mario Party Jamboree review.

YOUR postcode could determine your risk of a deadly heart attack or stroke, it’s been revealed.

The two condtions are diseases of the heart and circulatory system, which overall cause 480 deaths every day in the UK.

PA

Your heart could be harmed by where you live[/caption]

Researchers at University College London (UCL) looked at imaging of 3,635 people’s hearts.

They lived near Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester airports.

The hearts of those who lived in areas with high or low aircraft noise areas were compared.

People subjected to noise from planes taking off and landing may be at greater risk of poor heart health, the study showed.

The team said this can lead to heart attacks, life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes.

Those living near airports had stiffer and thicker heart muscles that contracted and expanded less easily and were less efficient at pumping blood around the body.

This was especially the case for those exposed to higher aircraft noise at night, which may be because it ruins sleep.

Separate studies have shown that these types of heart abnormalities could result in up to a four-fold increased risk of a heart event when compared with people without these heart abnormalities.

And previously, scientists have discovered aircraft sounds disrupted sleep and raised blood pressure and stress hormone levels, which are factors linked to heart problems.

Earlier research led by the University of Leicester estimated that about five per cent of adults in England were exposed to aircraft noise exceeding 50 decibels during the day or night.

The senior author of the UCL study Dr Gaby Captur, consultant cardiologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London, said: “Our study is observational so we cannot say with certainty that high levels of aircraft noise caused these differences in heart structure and function.

“However, our findings add to a growing body of evidence that aircraft noise can adversely affect heart health and our health more generally.

“Concerted efforts from Government and industry are needed to reduce our exposure to aircraft noise and mitigate its impact on the health of millions of people who live close to airports or under flight paths.”

Previous studies linked exposure to high levels of aircraft noise to obesity, too, which can lead to heart problems.

Professor James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “For most of us, a plane is seen as a ticket to some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

“But this innovative study reveals the potential invisible impact for those living close to some of our biggest travel hubs.

“While observational studies like this can’t prove cause and effect, these findings add to previous research showing the damaging impact of noise pollution on our heart health.

“Further research will be needed to investigate the longer-term effects of aircraft noise on the health of those with the highest exposure.”

I HAVE always admired people who enjoy exercise.

Unfortunately, I’m just not one of them.

Scarlet Pestell

Writer Isabel finds it hard to put her trainers on without at least a little resentment[/caption]

Scarlet Pestell

Some people revel in the endorphin rush and sense of accomplishment exercise gives them[/caption]

That’s not to say I’m not aware of how good working out is – both for my brain and body.

As a health journalist, I am always reading about new studies which explore the benefits of getting some rigorous movement into your day.

Exercise can reduce your risk of cancer, boost your brain power and even make you happier – and that’s just the start of it.

Science has shown that getting your body moving can have a really positive impact – even in very short chunks.

In fact, a recent study presented to the American Physiology Society found that just 15 minutes of moderate exercise is enough to give your immune system a significant boost.

Even with this knowledge, I still find it hard to put on my trainers and get out the door without at least a little resentment.

But with the new year here, I can’t shake the feeling that I should get into it and start fresh.

I spoke with Bradley Busch, a registered psychologist who works with athletes, in the blind hope he could help me fall in love with what’s good for me.

“Exercise is a polarising activity,” Bradley, who is also the director of InnerDrive, tells me.

“While some people revel in the endorphin rush and sense of accomplishment, others find it a chore and a struggle,” he adds.

As I begin relating – rather embarrassingly – to the latter group, the psychologist reassures me that there is a way to change my dismal perspective.

“There are loads of strategies, based on over a hundred years of research can help you trick your brain into enjoying it more and doing it better,” he explains.

JUST GET GOING

Scarlet Pestell

Science has shown that getting your body moving can have a positive impact even in very short chunks[/caption]

For me, and likely many others, summoning the will to exercise is half the battle.

“Most the time, people think the effort involved is going to be more than it actually is,” Bradley explains.

“So if you just start, even if you commit to doing a short bout of exercise that can lead to people wanting to continue.”

This all sounds well and good in theory, but on days when the sofa is extra comfy how does one convince themselves to get off their bum and go for a run?

“You need to stop thinking your only option here is here is to do something high-intensity,” Bradley says.

“Your workout doesn’t have to be something that gets you out of breath.

“There is a whole bunch of research that suggests even low-level, and moderate exercise, like walking, is still really good for you.”

PICK A GOOD TRAINING PARTNER

Scarlet Pestell

Find yourself a good exercise partner who can motivate keep you accountable[/caption]

You’ve got yourself into the gym once, but what’s to say you will again?

This is where accountability comes in.

“One of the big urges that we have as humans is to be consistent with our previous self,” Bradley says.

“If you’re trying to commit to something, and tell someone about it, you’re much more likely to do it.” he expains.

One way you can keep tabs on yourself and keep is by using a fitness tracking app, like Strava.

Strava, used by over 6million Brits, and allows users to share their runs, cycles and swims with their friends.

But Bradley says the best thing you can do to keep yourself on course is to find yourself an exercise partner.

“Getting someone involved in your workouts not only keeps you accountable, but it also makes the task more enjoyable so you’re more likely to do it again,” he explains.

Perhaps you can do this by planning a speed walk with a friend so your workout doubles as a social outing, or making an existing work meeting a walk-and-talk. 

There is evidence to suggest joining forces with another person can especially benefit the less fit partner.

In the 1920s, German psychologist, Otto Köhler found that when two people completed a joint task, the individual performance of the weaker member was actually better than if they had done it themselves.

“If you are unsure or reluctant, choose a training partner who is slightly better than you and who can help motivate and inspire you,” Bradley says.

“Don’t link up with someone who is doing things far beyond what you’re currently capable of.

“This will just make excise stressful and daunting.”

TRAIN WITH A GROUP

Getty

Working out with a group can make you work harder[/caption]

If you can’t find a partner, fear not – you can always join a group!

In fact, group exercise is really good for getting the most out of your workout, Bradley explains.

One of the oldest experiments in sport psychology, conducted by an psychologist Norman Triplett in 1898, found cyclists rode faster when racing against others, compared to when they did so on their own.

Psychologists refer to that external pressure as ‘social facilitation’, and it helps explain why exercise classes can be so powerful.

“It’s much easier to get off the treadmill, or to not do the last weight repetition when we’re by ourselves,” Bradley explains.

“When we’re part of a group the group dynamic, the motivation, the peer competitiveness can help push us on and help us keep going just that little bit longer,” he adds.

SEE IT AS A CHOICE NOT A SACRIFICE

Scarlet Pestell

Exercising because you think you should is not an effective form of motivation[/caption]

It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing exercise as a sacrifice: of time spent sleeping in, of time at the pub. I’m definitely guilty of this.

For me, working out is something I feel like I have to do in order to stay fit and be healthy, rather than something I want to do.

Although the distinction may seem small, the way you perceive your workouts will determine how likely you are to do it again, Bradley explains.

“If you always think about what you’re giving up you’ll probably end up resenting your workout,” he says,

Instead, Bradley says we should view exercise as an ‘active choice’.

What he means by this, is that exercise should be something you actively decide to do and not do just because you think you should.

“By reminding yourself that no one is making you work out and that you are choosing to do this to yourself puts you in a position of power,” he explains.

“This power and autonomy can be very motivational when it comes to starting and maintaining good exercise habits,” he says.

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